Pastor pulls out of inauguration over anti-gay sermon

(RNS) The evangelical pastor that President Obama picked to deliver the benediction at his inauguration ceremonies withdrew from the high-profile assignment on Thursday following a furor over a sermon from the mid-1990s in which he denounced the gay rights movement and advocated efforts to turn gays straight. By David Gibson.

7 Comments

Daniel Lafave

“Are all orthodox clergy now to be banished from civic life if they openly affirm their faith’s teachings about marriage and sexual ethics?”

I certainly hope so. Speaking at an Inauguration is a privilege and an honor, not a legal right that someone is entitled to regardless of their statements and positions. There are plenty of pastors in this country. There is no reason that the President shouldn’t choose someone who reflects more enlightened values.

indipete

gilhcan

Why does Obama persist in playing politics with religious leaders in this nation where the government is supposedly constitutionally required to be separate from churches. If we really followed that wise precept, we wouldn’t even be including religion in the inauguration. The constitutional oath is sufficient.

Altogether too much is made of inaugurations as the years has passed. That excess is a waste of public money and time. Cut waste? Cut that wasteful spending. Let those who were hired by the voters to do the work of governing govern.

The Congress should work at legislating instead doing nothing but opposing very action proposed by the Executive as the Republicans have been doing whenever they are not in the majority of the Congress and/or do not hold the Executive office. The Republicans weep and gnash their teeth about cutting waste, yet they continue to cause the biggest wast of federal funds of all.

The Supreme Court ignores the Constitution and democracy. Consider all the public money that is wasted on that branch playing politics.

There is a very great deal that has always prevented our government from being truly democratic as we falsely brag. Politics and government paying homage to religion is one of those increasingly bigger dangers.

Why does Obama keep featuring Evangelicals–anointing Rick Warren at his first inauguration, and now this guy? WHAT DOES HE EXPECT?

A little while back Washington Cathedral, aka the National Cathedral, announced that it would be conducting same sex weddings. There are plenty of clergy hanging around there, including a bishop. Why doesn’t Obama feature one of them? Or any clergy person from a liberal mainline denomination?